Coming Together- GrimmIchi
by NatsumiTomoko
Summary: Modern high school AU involving Grimmjow and Ichigo, as well as some OCs of mine. If you don't like GrimmIchi, please don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fanfiction, so please help me by leaving suggestions for improvement :). I use characters from Bleach, and characters of my own creation (Natsumi is my OC, for example). Please read and review, thank you! :). I hope you enjoy.**

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I was alone. Ever since I lost my mom all those years ago, no one has even tried to make friends with me. Something about losing a parent scares kids away. Even to this day, kids make sure that they stay away from me. I guess my appearance doesn't help either. I have bright blue hair that I keep long. I have pierced ears, and I generally wear darker clothing. Like, Hot Topic type of clothing with combat boots. I feel that only those bands understand me. No one else does. They're idiots, all of them. They don't know my pain. They don't know my story. They don't know me. No one will ever know me.

-Ichigo-

I sigh, a headache blooming. AP can really push you to the limits. And just my luck, I somehow ended up signing up for four AP classes: AP Language and Composition, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and AP European History. What was I thinking? Academic suicide, that's what. Due to my classes and workload, I didn't have a lot of time for socializing. Luckily, my friends completely understood and even helped me with my homework. Especially my friends Orihime and Natsumi. I had them both in APES, AP Bio, and AP Lang. I look down at my homework. Yep. I was stuck. Pre-Calculus sucks. Because I was sick the day before, I missed one lesson. Maybe I should head over to Natsumi's. She's a freaky genius. Maybe it had to do with music. According to most studies, music and math were directly related. And low and behold, she was musically talented. Whatever. I pack up my homework, and I headed downstairs.

"Yuzu! Dad! I'm heading to Natsu's for help in Pre-Cal!" I manage to yell out before I head out the door. I walked to the park and I had to stop. One of my backpack straps got messed up, so I stopped to fix it. I didn't realize that I wasn't alone.

-Grimmjow-

I sit in my usual spot in the park, not wanting to go home. My dad was most likely sitting on the couch, getting drunk. That's all he ever damn does. Ever since my mom died, he drank himself stupid. To forget everything. Even his son. Who is the only piece of his wife that he has left. I sigh, adjusting my music so that I can forget the tears that I know to come. I look around the park, and my eyes land on a boy. Holy crap. That was the brightest orange hair that I have ever spiky hairstyle suited him. The boy was shorter than my 6'1" height. He had to be about...5'9". He was fiddling with his backpack straps. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. It was...kinda cute. I stand up, putting my earbuds down. I walk over to the boy.

"Need a hand?" I found myself asking him. He looks up, startled.

-Ichigo-

"Need a hand?" Someone asked me. I look up, startled. I didn't know that someone else was in the park with me. I look up to see the most handsome boy that I have ever seen. Bright blue hair, beautiful cerulean eyes...a muscular body. Holy shit. I blink, then use my words.

"I-I got it. Thanks though." I smile kindly.

"Alright. Hey...aren't you in my Government class?" He asks me. Then it comes to me. I do know him. Grimmjow, I believe his name was.

"Yeah. Grimmjow, right?" I ask

"Yep. Don't wear it out." I laugh a little.

"I'm Ichigo, by the way."

Ichigo. That was his name.

"Nice to meet ya. Officially." I chuckle.

"Nice to meet you too." He smiles, and slings his backpack over his shoulder.

"I have to go. Pre-Calculus tutorial." He shrugs and looks at me apologetically.

"You mean to tell me that Mr. Brains goes to tutorial? Someone call the press." I tease him. My joke works. He laughs. Oh my god. That had to be the most beautiful laugh that I have ever heard. I feel an invisible flush creep onto my face.

¨See you at school?¨ I ask him. He nods. I wave a little and walk away, back towards my spot.

-Ichigo-

I was a little sad to see him go. But. I did have tutorial to go to. I walk to Natsu's house. I walk in to see her cooking. There was a strange man in the house. He was standing next to her, watching her. His focus shifts to me. His eyes narrow at me, like I was a threat. He was about 5'6, with snow white skin, raven colored hair, and emerald eyes. I stand there awkwardly. I felt that I was intruding on their little moment.

"W-want me to come back later, Natsu?" I ask her. She turns to look at me, her brown hair framing her face. Her brown eyes stare kindly back at me. The man glares at me, and he wraps an arm around Natsu's waist. The message was clear: she's mine. I raise an eyebrow.

"It's fine, Ichi. Pre-Cal tutorial, or were you starting to miss me?" She winks and turns to the man.

"Ulquiorra. It's okay, he's a friend." She kisses his cheek. "I tutor him." He relaxes. He takes a bowl of food.

"Eat with me?" He asks...looking at her like a puppy looks at his master. With loving eyes. She nods.

"Ichigo, why don't you take a break for food? I can tell that you've been stressing." Before I can protest, she hands a bowl of food to me, gets one for herself, and goes to Ulquiorra. I didn't know she was dating anybody. That made me feel...alone. Even Natsu, the class genius along with Uryu, has a lover. Why ,then, can't I find someone? I sigh and go to eat in another room. Being the third wheel is awkward. I can speak from experience.

What the hell? Did I actually flirt with him? Great. If word gets out that I swing that way...then I'm done. But he was so cute….and he was so nice and smart...I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. What was I thinking? If I was gay...then I really would be dead. When my deadbeat dad wasn't drunk off his ass, he was a man's man. He was a nut for finding a beautiful woman, settling down, the whole fucking package. I sigh and stand. Time to head to hell.

"Okay. So you're stuck on probability?" She asks, pulling out her homework. Already done, of course.

"Yeah…" I blush a little.

"Okay. Probability is the number of favorable outcomes over the number of total outcomes. Basically, the odds of something you want happening." She says calmly, just like a teacher. I nod slowly.

"I just don't get the whole thing. The math." I groan, rubbing my temples. She nods.

"Chill out Einstein." She says, putting my hands down. She looks at the first problem and smiles.

"Okay. This is simple. I have a deck of cards. In a deck, there's 52 cards. There are Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Clovers. Okay?"

I nod, feeling stupid.

"Now. There are 3 face cards per 'house'. A King, Queen, and Jack. So. The question is asking you what is the probability is of getting a King." She writes down "4/52." Wait, what?

"There are four kings in a deck of cards." She explains, as if sensing my confusion. "Reduce...and you'll get 1/13. Basically, you'll have a 1/13 chance of finding your king." She winks and helps me with the rest of the problems. Then she goes back to her boyfriend. I said goodbye and I left. The last thing I heard her say is "Ulquiorra, you're my King." She was probably joking about the math problems, but who knows. She found her King...why couldn't I find my own Queen?

-Grimmjow-

"Where the hell have you been?!" My father throws a bottle at me. I duck my head, missing it.

"Why the hell do you care?! Lazy ass drunk!" I shout back at him and rush to my room, slamming the door shut and locking it. I fall onto the bed, groaning. I hate being here. Beer bottles all over the place, relying on welfare and unemployment, and having to keep myself quiet. I basically did everything in the house. It's a sorry excuse for a life. I just want to lash out...and my dad would be the first to feel my rage at the world. I picture how I would do it. I would come home from school, a knife in my boot. My dad would be asleep, from his afternoon liquor date. Vulnerable. Perfect. I would pull the knife from my boot, the blade would glisten in the soft light from the window. There would be a rush, and then the knife will meet his flesh. Squish. Swish. Squish. Over and over and over until I was satisfied. His blood would gush out of his body like a waterfall. I would feel the life leaving him, hear his dying breath...I snap out of it. What was I thinking? I sigh. I need someone. Someone who would listen to me, just plain be my friend. Or...lover. I need love from someone. It's tough, knowing that the last person who loved you is six feet under.

-Ichigo-

I end up in the park again. I missed my mom more than ever. I knew that if she was here, then everything would be okay. She wouldn't pressure me to be this human computer. She would help Yuzu with housework, help Karin with her boy troubles. Most of all, my dad would be at peace. Tears spring in my eyes and I quickly wipe them away. Ever since my mom's death, I have never cried. Not even in private. I hate feeling weak. But...I want to be weak for one. A quote that I read comes to mind. "I cry not because I am weak, but because I have been strong for too long." That quote really hits home for me. No one is really there for me. Although Natsu is my best friend, it's still not enough. I want love. Yes, I know I'm selfish. But I'm tired of being alone. I want some light in this dark tunnel of life. No, dark tunnel of my life. I want the light of my life…

-Grimmjow-

School. My only escape. I would never say this out loud, but I love school. The way some teachers really cared about their students...and books. I loved books. The classics had to be my favorite. So, when I didn't want to go home, I would go to the library. The librarians didn't mind my punk appearance. They even let me watch movies on the computers, which is a huge no no at my school, since some idiots decided to watch porn on the computers. Seriously? Why at school? Idiots. Anyway, I'm there after school on Monday. I decide to get one of _The Mortal Instruments_ books, the one where Alec admits to being with Magnus Bane. I feel like I can relate to that...for whatever reason. While I read, I imagined that I would be Alec...and Ichigo would be Magnus. Wait what?! I snap out of my trance. And who do I see? Freaking Ichigo, textbooks around him. Just freaking great. The last person that I want to see right now. But...he is right there. I set my book down and walk over to him.

-Ichigo-

"Need some help?"

I jump, not expecting anyone to disturb me. I look up to see Grimmjow. Wait. What was he doing here? He didn't strike me as the book type. I blink then answer him.

"I think I'm okay, thanks." I smile appreciatively. I close my book, in desperate need of a break. If there was a class that can be very strongly described as boring, Government would be the winner of that. Who cares about this politics stuff? A lot of kids sure don't, myself included. The things that bug me the most are the laws that control us. He sits next to me.

"Do you ever get a break?" He asks me, studying my features carefully.

"What's a break? I have four AP classes. There is no break." I respond. He blinks at me, stunned.

"What are you trying to do? Fry your brain to the point of no return?" He laughs a little. I blush a little. My God, that laugh was the absolute...cutest. It didn't suit him...but yet it fit him perfectly. Wait. What was I thinking? I couldn't be...no. I wasn't.

"Well, maybe." I wink at him. I swear to this day that he _blushed._

"Oh shut up Kurosaki."

And we talked and talked. Finally, I had to go home. Dinner would be happening soon.

"Hey, I got to go, Grimmjow. See you tomorrow?" I ask him, slightly sad that I have to leave him. He nods in response.

"See ya." He stands and goes back to his computer, which was paused on a movie. Lucky. Even I can't watch a movie on those things. The librarians are hawks, always watching us. They must like him. So, I wave goodbye and walk out of the library.

-Grimmjow-

I couldn't believe it. I actually managed to have a conversation with him. Best of all, I actually didn't make myself look like an idiot. The gods must be looking down at me or something. I was actually sad to see him go. I quit out of the computer and begin heading home with a pretty nice skip to my step. What the hell was wrong with me? I go back to the park where we met for the first time. I sit down on my favorite bench and just...sit, thinking. I find my thoughts drifting to Ichigo, and how adorable he was. The way he talked to you and that contagious smile. And just...his intelligence. He was the only person that I could really talk to. In that short conversation, I felt closer to him than with anybody. That felt...good.

-Ichigo-

Wow. Grimmjow really deceives appearances. I avoided him before because he looked like a bully. But now I know the truth. He was one of the nicest guys that you could ever hope to know. And he was very intelligent too. I could actually...be myself around him. At the thought of seeing him tomorrow...actually excited me. My heart did a somersault at the thought of seeing him smile, and those oh so gorgeous eyes. Those eyes had to be the most gorgeous cerulean eyes known to man. And in those eyes...I could see the real him.

-Grimmjow-

I walk home to see that my father is gone. Thank God. Now I can finally clean the freaking house. I get sick at the sight of those goddamn beer bottles. So, I put my music on and go inside, immediately beginning to clean. Over the years, I learned how to quickly clean enough so my dad wouldn't get pissed off. By the time that he got home, the house was pretty much clean. All that was left was dishes, which I saved for last due to the sheer amount. I was in the bathroom when I heard the front door slam open. I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

"Why is this house always such a mess?! These damn dishes aren't done!" Wow. Drunk already. It's not even five. New record. I lock the bathroom door, and hide. I"m scared of my dad. I just want my old dad back. The one who smiled, and made everything feel okay. But most of all...I wanted my mother back. I close my eyes and hide, ready to weather the storm.

-Ichigo-

I arrive home to a busy house. Yuzu was cooking dinner, Karin was sprawled on the couch in her PE uniform. I didn't spot Dad, he must be at the hospital.

"Ichigo! Dinner will be ready in about 20 minutes!" Yuzu yells at me. I nod and ruffle her hair, going to my room to finish up my homework. I was supposed to finish it in the library, but then Grimmjow came. Once again, I find myself thinking of him. He seemed really alone. I recall his face when I started talking to him. He seemed genuinely surprised that I wanted to talk to him. Other kids pushed him away and called him a freak. I decided to act on that whim. I was going to become his first friend. And maybe...something more.

-Grimmjow-

The next morning, I was sitting in my Government class. I wasn't paying much attention. It hurt to look up. My old man got me good in the head. Son of a bitch, it hurt. The light hurts. Finally, I will myself to look up at the teacher.

"Okay, everyone. For this unit, I have decided to not give you guys a test." Everyone burst into cheers, much to my annoyance. The pounding in my head got ten times worse. "But. You will be assigned a project, which will count as your test." They all groan.

"Do we get to pick our partners?" One girl asked.

"I have assigned them to you." Miss "Oh-Superior-One" answered her. God, was she always so annoying? No wonder why I always fall asleep. She began to list the partners that she selected. Finally, she got to me.

"Mr. Jeagerjaquez, you will work with Mr. Kurosaki." No way. There was no way. I feel all the kids' eyes give me envious glares. He glances over at me and offers me a friendly smile. I pray to God that I don't blush, and wave back. Was today my lucky day? Or my birthday? Now was my chance...to be close to him.

-Ichigo-

Yes! This was going to be my chance. After the bell rings, I stay behind so I can talk to Grimmjow.

"Hey. Guess we're partners?" I chuckle and smile. He looks up at me and returns the smile.

"I guess so." He chuckles.

"So...meet up after school?" I ask him, and he nods.

"See ya after school."

-Grimmjow-

I go to my baby (a blue '67 Chevy Impala. Dad let me take the car today), and wait for Ichigo. Being the idiot that I am, I forgot to tell him in the parking lot. A million thoughts were racing in my mind. Would I be able to control myself around him? I mean...I actually sat and thought about it. I came to terms of what was causing me so much angst. My feelings for Ichigo…really were romantic after all. Guess what I'm gay! I feel that irritating blush come back onto my face. I cleared it quickly and got lost in my thoughts. Would he feel the same for me? Does he honestly see something in me, the punk loser? I feel a tap on my shoulder and I jump a little, not expecting anyone to come up to me. It was Ichigo, his glasses pushed to the bridge of his nose.

-Ichigo-

Just my luck. My contacts were annoying me, and I had to take them out. I hate how I look with glasses on. Praying that no one would say anything, I practically dash out of Pre-Cal, to the parking lot. I spot Grimmjow leaning against his car, a 1967 Chevy Impala. Sweet ride. He was daydreaming, so I tapped his shoulder. He jumped and I laughed.

"Welcome back, partner." I wink at him, feeling just a tad...flirty.

"Oh shut up." He growls at me, blushing from embarrassment. "So where do you want to go?"

"My house. We'll need internet. A GOOD internet connection. The one here sucks."

"Good point." He nods and unlocks the car. He opens the door for me, which I had to admit was a tad unusual. I shrug it off and go in.

"Thanks." I say and he nods, shutting my door. He jogs to the driver's side and I see his ass in the mirror. Holy shit. Wait. What the hell was I doing? I blush and hope that he didn't notice. He slides into the driver's seat.

"Give me directions, yeah?" He asks, putting his seatbelt on. I realize that I should too.

"Yeah." I nod, putting on my seatbelt. He starts the car, and I give him directions to my house.

-Grimmjow-

Should've known that he lived in the nice part of town. Nice houses, nice feel to the place. I park in his driveway, and I can practically feel all the envious glares at me. I smirk and go to the passenger door, opening it for Ichigo. Had to admit, smart move on my part. I saw how he was checking me out in the mirror, and knew that I had a better probability of him liking me. I hated probability. The odds are always against you. But when it's in your favor...it was beautiful. I was the King in the deck of cards that can't be used. In Solitaire, red kings can't go with a red queen. That's how I view the whole world. I am the red king, desperately looking for the black queen to complete him. He gracefully gets out of the car. He nods in thanks to me, and jogs to his front door, messing with his key. Finally, he gets the door open. He had a nice place, I had to admit it. A decent sized living room, leather couches. Then I notice the giant poster of a woman that I assumed to be his mother. That was...unusual. Nice kitchen, and a nice space to live in. There was a staircase that I assumed that lead to the bedrooms. I brilliantly notice that we're alone.

"My dad's at work, and my sisters are off with friends. The computer is in my room...follow me." He gestures to the stairs and goes upstairs. I follow him into his room. It was a nice little room. Giant ass bookcase stuffed to the brim with books, a nice bed, and a medium sized desk with a nice laptop and printer. There were posters of bands, much to my surprise. Secondhand Serenade, Avenged Sevenfold, Escape the Fate...basically all of my favorite bands (minus Metallica).

"Dude, nice room." I get comfy on his bed, and pull out our textbook.

"Okay...what's our project again?"

"We have to explain the three branches of the government. Executive, Judicial, and Legislative." He says, beginning to pull up Prezi on his laptop.

"What a bore." I pretend to snore. He laughs, which is the most goddamn cutest thing ever.

"Tell me about it." He says, browsing through the different themes. "Hey Grimmjow? Come help me pick one out?" I go over to him. Now, we were a hair's length away from each other. His scent...was so clean. He smelled like paper and soap, and it just...suited him. Wait, was that strawberry too? I blush a little and turn back to the screen. They were all crappy. I point to one in the corner, and turn to face him. "That one would work." He turns to me, so we were facing each other. We were now just inches-no. Millimeters away. He turns bright red and looks to his screen.

"Y-yeah." He agrees with me, still bright red. I decided to make a bold move. I placed my hand over his.

-Ichigo-

This was not happening. THIS WAS NOT HAPPENING. He laid his hand over mine. He had warm, strong hands. They were a bit rough...but my god I loved those hands. I felt...safe. I couldn't find the will to move my hand away…

-Grimmjow-

He didn't move his hand away. Taking another chance, I slowly lean forward…

-Ichigo-

He leaned forward, his eyes closing. I knew what he wanted...So I decided…


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, it has come to my attention that for some reason, the indicators of the changes in POVs aren't showing up. I'm working on getting that fixed, so thank you for being patient with me! :)**

-Grimmjow-

Before this hopeful kiss, the door slams open. We both jump about ten feet in the air.

"Ichigo! You home?" I hear a loud male voice cry out. That must be his father. Shit.

-Ichigo-

*GODDAMN IT* I mentally yell at my dad. "Up here, Dad!" I yell back. I look over to see Grimmjow blushing. Did he...try to kiss me? Most of all...was I about to kiss back? I hear my dad come up the stairs. Grimmjow quickly scoots away from me. My dad stands there in the doorway.

"Ichigo. Who is this?" He asks sternly. I kid you not, Grimmjow looked like he was going to pass out.

"This is Grimmjow, my classmate. We have to work on a project together."

Grimmjow stands up and holds his hand out. "Hello sir."

My dad studies him for a few minutes, then bursts out laughing, making Grimmjow jump a little.

"You don't have to be so formal with me! Any friend of Ichigo's is welcome here!" He smiles brightly, being the eccentric man that he is. I can see Grimmjow visibly relax.

"Thank you... " I hear Grimmjow say.

"No problem! I'll go order some food. Yuzu can have a night off." He leaves, going to change clothes and relax.

-Grimmjow-

That did not just happen. That did NOT just happen. What was wrong with me?! I was about 30 seconds from my lips meeting his. I go and lay on his bed, sighing contently.

"So comfy…I can take a nap on here…" I feel my shirt ride up a little, exposing my six pack.

-Ichigo-

Holy. Shit. He was hot. A six pack? Shaking my head, I turn to my computer and start typing. Thank goodness for this distraction. That was way too close. I quickly did our title slide. Dad walks into the room, a Chinese restaurant takeout menu in his hand.

"What would you like, Ichigo?" He asks me. Looks like my night will perk up. I've been craving chow mein and chicken.

"My usual, Dad. What would you like, Grimmjow?" I turn to the blue haired man who claimed my bed.

"I-It's okay. I can wait until I get home…" He blushes a little.

"Are you sure? It really is no trouble, Grimmjow." My dad assures him.

"They have really good chicken. Trust me. That is the only thing I get." I smile at him. I can sense the hesitation in his body language. "You're a guest. We take care of everything."

-Grimmjow-

I blush madly. They…were taking care of me? This couldn't be. Could they really be this nice?

"T-Thank you." I finally manage to stammer.

"Of course, Grimmjow." Ichigo smiles. Hot damn if that smile was the cutest thing I've ever seen. How could any girl not fall for his charm?

-Ichigo-

The Chinese food arrives several minutes later. By this time, my two sisters returned home and practically kicked the door open.

"Ichigoooo!" My sister Karin calls out when she stands in the doorway.

I jump about ten feet in the air. Typical Karin, making a dramatic entrance. Hmm. And she claims to not be anything like Dad. Yuzu, God bless her soul, gently knocks on the door.

"Who is this?" Karin asked, arching an eyebrow. "He has cotton candy hair."

-Grimmjow-

Cotton. Candy. Hair. She just crossed the line. You can make fun of me, my clothes, and my car. But not my hair, my pride and joy. I look at this little shit and almost do a double take. She was basically Ichigo, but with black hair.

"My hair is NOT cotton candy. Little shit." I growl a little. The other one, who doesn't look like Ichigo like the other one does, crosses her arms.

"Karin! Blue haired man! No fighting." She says. Wow. She was cute.

"Girls, girls stop it. This is Grimmjow, my classmate. We're working on a project." Ichigo tells them, a very faint blush on his cheeks.

"Uh huh. See ya later, Ichigo...and Cotton Candy man." Mini Ichigo smirks and pulls not mini Ichigo away, who was scolding her for her atrocious manners. I sniff and ruffle my hair a little. How could that little brat confuse my good locks with something as disgusting as blue cotton candy?

"Ah, ignore Karin. She tends to be a little…" Ichigo pauses, trying to think of the right word.

"Harsh? Spoiled? Shit?"

The last one made him laugh. Oh that laugh. It was caramel to my ears. Crap. I was sooooooo gay.

"Oh be nice. She doesn't mean it." He scolds me. Heh. I could get used to this.

-Ichigo-

Grimmjow was a really good partner. While I was keener on making sure our text was accurate, he was more focused on the visual portion of our project. He must've taken a Prezi master class or something, because he knew the ins and outs of that thing.

"Almost done, Kurosaki?" He asks, once again lazing around on my bed, polishing off the last of his dinner. He was a bottomless pit, having eaten some of mine and all of his dinner.

"Yes. Grimmjow...how the hell do you know so much about this program?" I ask, finishing up the last of our project. Now I know way too much about our government, and it basically solidified my political opinion that the United States of America's way of government was the best.

"I'm stuck in the stupid classes. What do you think we do?" He gets off my bed and takes over my laptop.

Huh. I haven't considered that before.

"That must suck, huh?" I ask

"You have no idea." He mutters, his eyes never leaving the screen. After a few minutes, he scoots away from the screen, displaying a project for the ages. "Ta da." He smirks.

I couldn't stop staring. This was way better than any project that I've ever done. I look at the time, and became surprised that we finished so early. But even so, he probably needed to be home.

"It looks like we're done, huh?" I ask, a little saddened by the fact that he has to leave. It was so easy to spend time with him, he made me feel so relaxed.

He, too, looked a little saddened at the fact. He stood up and stretched.

"Yeah…" He reluctantly agreed. He grabs his keys, and I walk with him to the front door.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Kurosaki. For dinner and letting me stay for so long." He politely says.

"No problem, Grimmjow." Isshin says, waving his hand a little. "You don't have to be so formal with me, son."

Karin and Yuzu simply wave, absorbed in their TV show. I walk him out to his very beautiful car that I will one day own. He gets in and starts it up. Oh that beautiful sound of the engine. He rolls the window down.

"Thanks, Ichigo." His tone suggests that there was more to this statement than he was stating. I just smile.

"No problem, man. We could do this again sometime." I shrug a little. I kid you not, his face lit up.

"It's a date." He winks, making me flush. He chuckles and leaves, his car glinting in the remaining sunlight.

-Grimmjow-

Heh. That was better than what I was originally going for. Man, I didn't want to leave. His family was so nice to me, a total stranger. It also helped that they didn't know that I was close to kissing their beloved Ichigo. But then again...I would _love_ to see the look on mini Ichigo's face. In seemingly the blink of an eye, I pull into the parking lot of my apartment building. Dad must be home by now and pissed. Even though I tell where I'm going to be, he still doesn't believe me. It's like he's my jilted lover. I get to our door, brace myself, and walk in.

What? No beer bottles, no mess? What the hell's going on? Maybe Dad wasn't home yet. It's happened before.

"Dad? Are you home?" I call out, closing the door behind me.

"I'm in my office, Grimmjow." My dad calls out.

I hear the sounds of a keyboard coming out of his office. I find my heart soaring. You see, before he became an alcoholic, he dreamed of becoming a writer, while balancing his job as an automobile mechanic. His specialty was rebuilding old cars (hence, our beloved '67 Chevrolet). He wanted more than that, and dreamed of writing a book. My mom encouraged this. He hasn't even touched his computer (which I'm forbidden to even glance at) ever since Mom died. Maybe this will be a sign for the better. I walk to his office and almost do a double take. Was this my deadbeat dad?

"Hey Dad…" I begin.

"Where were you? I didn't get a text from you?" He asks, his fingers dancing across the keyboard.

"I was at a classmate's house. We were doing a project for Government."

"Which classmate?" He asks, pausing for just a minute.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." I kept my tone neutral. There's no way in hell I'm ruining my good fortune by letting my true feelings about Ichigo shine through.

"That's the kid with the traffic cone hair right?"

I can't help but laugh a little.

"Yeah." I laugh.

"Alright." He sighs and turns towards me. It wasn't hard to see why my mother fell for him. Dark eyes, handsome and chiseled face, and I guess his hair was pretty desirable. After a few awkward moments, he cleared his throat.

"Grimmjow, let me give this to you straight." He says firmly.

I nod quickly, giving him my full attention.

"I'm going to start changing. Okay?" He looks me straight in the eye, one man to another.

"Okay…" I trail off, the dominant question in my head being why.

"If I don't, there will be intervention. And I'm tired of being on my ass. When I wasn't crazy, I noticed how miserable you were." He hangs his head a little. He was...actually apologizing. I did something that I've never done before. I pulled him into a hug, burying my face into his neck. I haven't done that shit for...twelve years now. He was just as surprised as I was. We held each other for what seemed like hours…

-Ichigo-

I lay on my bed, my earbuds in my ear and the volume at full blast. Reflecting on the moment in question, I think of my reactions towards him. I was ready to kiss him, I didn't want him to leave. I sigh, frustrated. I wasn't sure of me, if you know what I mean. I have crushes on girls. Hell, I even had a crush on Natsu at some point. Currently, I have a crush on the new girl Rukia Kuchiki and Orihime. Why was I drawn to Grimmjow? I didn't know the answer and that frustrated me. Yanking my earphones out, I tossed my iPod to the side, covering my face with a pillow. I just needed to sleep and not think about it. For whatever reason, if I don't think about the situation, I can figure out the correct solution. I get into my sweats and knock out.

In my dreams, I had no escape. All I saw was him.

-Grimmjow-

Yesterday was absolutely _wonderful_. His family was so nice to me, a total stranger. Hell, they even bought me food! I couldn't even imagine bringing a friend home, ashamed of my deadbeat dad. Now I could possibly have a proper social hangout. Then Dad miraculously turned over a new leaf. I was suspicious, of course. Shame we finished our project early, I would've had an excuse to hang out with him. Oh well, maybe things will turn for the better. Spotting him in the hallway, I decide to get his attention.

-Ichigo-

"Oy! Ichigo!" I heard someone call out. Startled out of my daydream, I turn to see a familiar man smirking at me.

"Hey Grimmjow" I chuckle, shaking my head. "What's up?"

"Ah, nothing much." He shrugs nonchalantly. "Did you turn the project in?"

"Yep. Right after you left."

"Sweet." He grins. Holy crap he had a perfect smile. I quickly clear my throat.

"So ready for the presentation?"

"Sure why not? I mean, I did most of the work." He winks. Two could play at this game.

"What do you mean _you_ did most of the work? I had the more detailed and accurate notes." I winked right back at him. I swear, he _blushed._

"You're the one who didn't know what the hell Prezi was." He chuckles, adjusting the bag on his shoulder.

"Oh shut up…" I grumble.

"Well, I better be going…" He turns and begins to walk away.

I wanted to talk to him again, so I quickly blurted out the first thing that popped into my head:

"Hey Grimm?"

"Hmm?" He turns back around.

"Got any lunch plans?" I ask, keeping my tone as casual as possible.

-Grimmjow-

*SHIT SHIT SHIT* I thought. Keep it cool, Grimmjow! His casual tone didn't exactly help either.

"Nope." I say a little too quickly. Smooth, Grimmjow. Really smooth. At least I wasn't blushing like a complete idiot. I could hardly believe the next question that came out of his mouth.

"Want to grab lunch with me?"

-Ichigo-

"Want to grab lunch with me?" I ask. This was it. The moment of truth. Surprising me, he nodded.

"Sure, why not?" He shrugs. "Where?"

"I usually eat lunch here on campus."

"Fine with me. I do the same thing. See you at lunch, Ichigo." And with that, he jokingly saluted me and walked to his next class. I turn and do the same.

I got to APES right before the bell rang. When I got there, Natsumi was knowingly saving my seat. I quickly sit down.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So…" She trails off, a slight twinkle in her eyes.

Uh oh. I know that look. I take a deep breath, preparing myself for this interrogation. Luckily for me, the teacher practically ran into the room and started class early. Thank goodness for small favors, right? Ignoring the curiosity radiating off of Natsu, I focus on the topic at hand.

-Grimmjow-

I was in my favorite class, Food Services. Though many wouldn't believe me, I love being in the kitchen. It takes your mind off of a lot of things. I also was addicted to the feeling when I got the recipe just right. I suppose I got it from my mom. My fondest memory of her was always making my dad's favorite dessert for him when he came home from work. The smile on his face always made me smile. My mom was a wonderful woman, and I miss her dearly.

"Grimmjow? Is everything okay?" My teacher asks, placing her hand on my arm in a concerned manner.

"I'm fine, it's just getting close to her birthday is all." I smile reassuringly.

"Why don't you make a dessert for a memorial offering? After you complete your dish for me."

"That would be a good idea." I smile. This woman was so homely, how could I be mean? She was one of the few adults that didn't groan at seeing my name on the class roster. She also gave me a chance, let me do my own thing. The kids in class, on the other hand, were little shits. They made me fun of me and spread awful rumors about me. I don't give a shit about them, but still. I haven't done anything to them…yet. I quickly make a simple pasta dish for her. However, instead of adding just chicken, I threw on some spinach for good measure. I present it to my teacher, then head back to my station. As I clean up, I decide what to make. Mom didn't have a particular favorite food, so that made it all the more difficult.

"What was it that Dad always brought her…?" I murmur. Then it hit me. Cake. Mom never turned down a piece of cake, especially marble cake. I go to my instructor to ask if we have marble cake dough. If not, I would make a strawberry cake.

"I don't think we do…I think we only have chocolate. Sorry, Grimmjow." She sounds apologetic.

"Don't worry about it, ma'am. I'll try my hand at making strawberry from scratch." I smile and go back to my station, getting a recipe from the back of the room.

-Ichigo-

I _hate_ lectures. You literally just sit there and do _nothing._ At least I can doodle in the margins of my notebook paper. I feel a piece of paper next to me. Curious, I turn to see what it was. It was a note. I immediately recognize Natsumi's handwriting. What was this, elementary school? Making sure my teacher wasn't paying attention, I open and read it.

"So I see that someone's being buddy buddy with Blue! Tell me everything, I've never seen you blush like that before!"

I sigh in irritation. I quickly write a reply.

"Why is this such a big deal? I just ask a guy to eat lunch with me and it's WWIII." I toss the note back to her. She reads it and nods, but I still felt that twinkle in her eye. I turn my attention back to the lesson on water quality. After the lesson was finally over, she gave us some free time.

"Ichi!" Natsu whispers yells. "I want to know everything."

To get her off my back, I began to endure her interrogation when the teacher called me.

"Mr. Kurosaki? Could you do a favor for me?"

"Sure."

"Can you take this to Mrs. Fields? It's my order for lunch. She's in Room 109."

"Got it." I take the note and head off on my adventure.

-Grimmjow-

I finally finish my strawberry cake, topping it off with a vanilla frosting. I nod contently.

"Good job, Mr. Jeagerjaquez! Is this your first time making cake from scratch?" My teacher asks, looking extremely impressed.

"Yep." I smile. I hear the door open, and in walks Strawberry himself.

Huh. I didn't know Grimmjow was in this class. He didn't strike me as the baking/cooking type of guy. Ignoring the blush on my face, I give the note to Mrs. Fields.

"You must be Mr. Kurosaki. I wish that I could have you as a student one day. Would you care for a piece of cake? Mr. Jeagerjaquez himself made it. It's strawberry."

"Sure." I smile. How could I say no to this grandmotherly type of woman? Plus, I was _starving._ Since I was running late this morning, I forgot to eat breakfast.

"Excellent. Grimmjow, can you please give him a slice? We have paper plates."

"Sure." He replies, shrugging a little. He shares a chuckle with me and soon gives me my plate. I have to admit, it smelled delicious.

"Thanks! See you later." I smile and leave. Whew. I did it. I managed to keep my cool.

Thank goodness for Mrs. Fields, with whom I'll give credit to one day. She saved my neck. I was desperately trying to figure out what to say, if I should say anything, or if I should pretend to be engrossed in baking. I mean, we had our "lunch date." Anyway, I get the cake wrapped up and put it in Mrs. Field's personal mini fridge, so no dumbass would eat it all. The bell rings, and it's off to lunch. I knew I was going to be late anyway, so I made sure that I thoroughly clean my station. Plus, it's like the stampede from _Lion King_ when it's lunchtime. You're lucky to get that crappy sub sandwich or even an apple. Luckily for me, I made lunch today. After saying goodbye to Mrs. Fields, I went to the lunchroom.

-Ichigo-

Aw shit, I almost forgot about lunch with Grimmjow! I _run_ out of APES, leaving Natsumi in the dust. Don't worry, I saved the strawberry cake slice. That would have to serve as my lunch today. Normally, I would get a school lunch, which is decent I guess, but they were serving my least favorite type of food: those goddamn sub sandwiches. Seriously, what the hell did they put in those things? Once in the lunchroom, I looked for that familiar blue mane. There he was, sitting in the far corner, all by himself. It's amazing: everyone really did avoid him. Ignoring the curious stares of everyone, I sat down with him.

"Hey." I smile.

-Grimmjow-

I swear, this was the best lunch of my life. Ichigo is such an easy person to talk to! Now I understand why he was so popular. Turns out, he knew a lot about cars. FINALLY, someone understood my love for sport cars. We talked for the entire lunch period _and_ he really loved my baking. Score! I was actually sad that the lunch bell rang, to signal that fifth period was about to begin. My next class was Algebra II (what a fucking bore). I sigh and slide out of my seat.

"I'll see you later, Ichigo." I smile and wave, taking off to class.

I would go into details about how the day went, but honestly it would put just about anyone to sleep. Anyway, I head to go visit my mother's grave after picking up my cake. I just really needed to talk to her. If I talked to Dad, he would probably throw a bottle at me or something. Plus, there is the chance that he would kick me out for having feelings towards another guy. And I know this may sound foolish, but I have the belief that she can hear me. Before I know it, I'm standing in front of her grave.

"KAZUKO JAEGERJAQUES: BELOVED WIFE, MOTHER, DAUGHTER, AND FRIEND"

Eight words. That's all my mother has to her name now. There wasn't a headstone big enough to put every beautiful thing about her. Like how she lit up the whole room with her smile, how gentle she was to everyone, and just how truly beautiful she was. They'll never know her, and just how much she means to me. She was my hero, she was the love of my dad's life. To everyone else, she's just another body in a cemetery, another name that'll quietly fade away until no one will ever remember it. I would never let that happen. I get on my knees and put the cake down. I feel the tears coming and ignore them. I put on my happy face.

"Hi Mom." I softly speak. "I made you a cake, all from scratch. You were right: baking really is a lot of fun." I laugh a little, running my fingers through my hair. "School still sucks. Those kids are little shits. Well…almost all of them." I take a deep breath. What was I doing? I sounded like a crazy person. For Christ sakes, I was talking to a fucking headstone. I sigh. Well, at least I was getting this off of my chest.

"His name is Ichigo…yes I know, you were right. Not all preps are bad. Well, he's an honors kid but still." Taking a deep breath, I tell my mom everything.

-Ichigo-

I guess my mind was still at the lunch table, because I somehow ended up at the cemetery. Great. The very place that I've avoided since I was nine years old. Lady Fate was really fucking with me, wasn't she? Maybe I should visit my mother's grave. If I would've known I was going to be here, I would've brought her some roses. I walk to her, she's near the middle of the place. Her flowers were fresh, a sign that either my father or sisters have come by recently. Ever since she died, my world has turned upside down. I don't talk to her out loud, I just come here to reflect. I picture her playing with my hair, murmuring words of comfort and advice when I really needed it. I hear a familiar voice. I turn and see Grimmjow, in front of a headstone that I assume to be of one of his family members. Curious, I quietly listen to what he was saying. He was talking to himself (maybe?) about something…or someone. Anyway, I could smell salt. I know that scent anywhere: it means that tears were about to be shed. I don't know what compelled me to walk over to him, but I did it. I gently put my hand on his shoulder.

-Grimmjow-

I jump about ten feet in the air. I quickly whip around and see the perpetrator: Ichigo. Goddamn it! Of all the people, it had to be him.

"Grimmjow…are you okay?" He asks, his face full of concern. Why the hell was he concerned for me, practically a stranger? Before I could respond, a hiccup escapes my lips. I missed my mother, I was confused as shit, and every single negative thing that's ever been said about me all came flooding. Instead of comprehensible English, I began to sniffle. Damn it! I can't cry! Especially in front of HIM. I-I…just couldn't keep it inside of me anymore. Ichigo was about to say something, but I rob him of the chance by breaking down, sobbing. I feel him pulling me into a hug. I tightly hug him back and just let it all out. Instead of slapping me, he let me cry. He actually let me feel emotion…

"Let it out, man. Just let it out…" He murmurs. He held me for what seemed like hours…

-Ichigo-

There was something that I read once. I believe that it was an article from a Disney cast member. The periodical was about what it took to be a cast member, and how to interact with children.

"When you're hugging a child, always be the one that lets go last. You never know how much they need it."

And so, I let Grimmjow cry. I knew that he lost his mother at around the same time that I lost my own mother. Everyone says that crying doesn't help anything, but it does help get that feeling of despair and pressure off of your chest. And…I could tell that he just needed a shoulder to cry on. Suddenly, I realized that Grimmjow literally had no one to lean on. Everyone, including me, had avoided him. Here I was, holding the outcast in my arms while he sobbed his heart out. Call me weird, but this felt…right. Not because I was being a friend, but I had a strong feeling that this where he belonged. Right in my arms, where I could keep him safe from the monsters of the world. Finally, after seemingly an eternity, he calms down enough to form comprehensive sentences.

"I-I'm sorry…It just happened…" He blushes, wiping his eyes.

-Grimmjow-

Why did I have to cry? And in front of HIM, no less! All of my chances just went down the drain.

"I-I'm sorry…It just happened…" I must've blushed, because he smiled a little.

"Don't worry about it, man. I could tell you needed it." He chuckles and gives me a tissue. I gratefully take it, wiping my eyes, which were probably red by now.

"So…I'm guessing it was someone really close to you." He speaks softly. Shit. I actually _enjoyed_ this sudden change in the tone of his voice. Not trusting myself to speak, I simply nod. He speaks again. "I lost my mom when I was nine. This is the first time in a while that I've come to see her…" He trails off, awkwardly looking to the side. Shit, that's right. He did lose his mother. Normally, I wouldn't have cared but on that day, he wasn't at school. That type of thing just didn't happen. Ichigo is the type of kid who would still be at school while the rest of us would ditch, or if he was sick.

"You too huh?" I finally manage to spit out. I sigh deeply. Since I already made myself look like a complete fool, why not go farther? Here I am, going to open up to a guy that I barely know but I swear that I am completely and utterly in love with. I sigh, running my fingers through my hair.

"I lost my mom when I was 13…a week before my birthday." I sigh. Man, I'm really pathetic today. I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today.

-Ichigo-

As fate would have it, Grimmjow lost his mother too. What a coincidence, right? No wonder he was such a wreck. It never gets easier. Whoever said that time heals all wounds, I seriously want to punch in the face. Time only numbs the wound, but it's still there for everyone to see. Sometimes, even you don't notice it, but everyone close to you can. It's obvious when they mention a name, a memory. Your eyes darken slightly, you look to the side. Often, there's an awkward moment between the instant that they mention the object of your grief and the window when you finally find the right words to say. Everyone expects you to be over the person, and if you dare to mention how much you still miss them, then you lost a friend. They'll avoid all contact with you…but with Grimmjow, I didn't feel like that would possibly happen. I lead him to a nearby bench and sit with him. We sit in a silence for a few minutes. Strangely, it wasn't an awkward or uncomfortable silence. We were just…content.

-Grimmjow-

Silence is sometimes a beautiful thing. Silence helps you to avoid an unwanted conversation, it helps make a moment more romantic. Sometimes, it's your worst enemy. You're left with your thoughts, to mull over a million different scenarios that could play out in a single conversation. I clear my throat, to break the silence. It wasn't a bad silence, you have to understand, but I felt the need to speak.

"She was a wonderful woman…boy did she keep Dad and I in shape." I chuckle, fondly reminiscing of all the memories.

"My mom was the exact same way. I'll admit, all of us were wrapped around her finger, but especially my father." I hear him respond, a smile evident in his voice.

I sigh, looking out at a nearby tree. The leaves were falling off in the breeze. It was beautiful, and it jogged a memory.

"When I was a little boy, my mom would take me out to collect leaves."

"Really?" He turns towards me. "Why?"

"My mom was really into arts and crafts. We would make leaf animals." I smile softly. I would never admit it, but one of my greatest weaknesses is art. Music is my favorite, but that should be pretty obvious.

"Leaf animals?" His eyebrows furrow slightly. Goddamn he was so cute.

"Yep. They're pretty easy to make. I'll have to show you sometime." I smile.

-Ichigo-

You know, he has a really cute smile for a guy whose facial expressions consists of a scowl, frown, or sneer. He was surprisingly gentle and kind. Strangely, he was very similar to Adam from _Beauty and the Beast_. People judged him for his looks, and really alienated him. If they just took the time to befriend the guy, they would realize just how wrong they were. Anyway, I decided to offer my friendship to him. I could tell he needed one…and it felt comforting to know that I wasn't alone. Someone understood the pain that I was suffering, and knew just how big the hole in my heart was.

"Hey Grimmjow?"

"Hmm?" He responds, turning to face me. That's another thing I like. He looks you straight in the eye when you talk to him. Call it a pet peeve, but it really annoys me when they only look at you for about 30 seconds, then look at the ground, like it's the most fascinating thing.

"I was wondering…do you want to go and hang out with me? At my house?" I successfully keep my blush hidden.

-Grimmjow-

"I'd love to." I smile a little. His family was so nice to me, and it really felt like a home. Unlike my own place, where father and son were at war with each other. But right now, my home was slowly becoming more comfortable, and more, do I say, homey. Our broken relationship is slowly making its way towards patched, but I know that we have a long way to go.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! I'm so sorry that Chapter 3 took so long! I became very busy with school. I apologize that this chapter is shorter than usual, but don't you fret! More is coming in Chapter 4. So stay tuned! Thanks :).**

-Ichigo-

"And in conclusion, each branch shows an equal matter of importance. If one branch was to fall, the others wouldn't be able to complete their duties." With that gem, Grimmjow ends our presentation. He was a pretty good public speaker, I must admit. To say the least, he captured the audience's attention. Our efforts are rewarded with a round of applause, including from our teacher.

"Well done! Excellent points, Mr. Jeagerjaquez and Mr. Kurosaki." She smiles, writing something on her clipboard. I look over at Grimmjow and flash a thumbs up. He just playfully rolled his eyes and smiled. We make our way over to our seats, and listen to the others. I don't remember the other groups' presentations, but I'm sure Natsumi's blew everybody away. Finally, the bell rang and it was on to the next class. It was just a normal, boring day in my academic life. In my personal life, it was perking up a little. And to my shock, it involved Grimmjow. Over the past few days, we slowly developed a friendship. He was surprisingly a gentle soul. It baffles me that everyone avoided him. Anyway, I think I'm slowly chipping away at his walls. I mean…he almost was my first kiss. Still, I'm unsure of myself. For now, I shall continue a friendship with him.

-Grimmjow-

Things have really been looking up for me. Dad hasn't touched a bottle for two days, and I'm slowly becoming accepted by the other kids in school. Well…maybe the latter isn't as significant as the former, but still. It is nice to not have people avoid any eye contact with you. After the bell rang, I make my way out of the classroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ichigo jog over to me. I stop and turn to face him.

"Hey, good job." He smiles crookedly. Shit.

"Thanks. I did have a great partner who helped me." I wink. Two could play at this game.

"I just provided the notes." He chuckles. Then he rubs the back of his neck, his nervous tic. For some odd reason, I notice the little shit like that. I can't explain it. Anyway, I find it adorable.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my house this weekend." He shrugs his shoulders casually, almost nonchalantly. Huh…this was new.

"I'd love to. Let me just make sure it's okay with my dad first."

"Sounds good. Let me know ASAP." He smiles and waves, heading off to his next class.

-Ichigo-

Nailed it.

-Grimmjow-

Nailed it. Now I can actually get out of the house. Sweet. Granted, if my father says yes. Normally, I would just go and do whatever I wanted, but I wanted to present Ichigo with a squeaky clean image.

-Ichigo-

"Hey Ichigo!" I hear Orihime call.

"Hey Hime." I smile. "What's up?"

"Nothing much." She smiles shyly, a faint blush on her cheeks. I know she has a crush on me, so this wasn't too unusual.

"Did you hear about the Homecoming Dance? How they had to move it?"

"Yeah. It sucks, but at least I can rest. This week sucks, and it's only Tuesday." At that moment, I knew exactly what she was going to ask me. I've known for the longest time that she's liked me, ever since we were kids.

"So…Ichigo…?" She blushes madly, trying so hard to get the words out.

"Orihime!" I hear her friend Tatsuki call out. Thank God, saved by the metaphorical bell. The raven haired tomboy quickly joined us, immediately glaring at me. Don't ask me, maybe she thinks I'll take her precious princess away from her. She's liked Orihime too, and I think they'd make a cute couple honestly. But hey, I'm not one to give romantic advice. I'm still…unsure of myself. Yes, I'm attracted to girls, but Grimmjow just stood out in my mind. I glance down at my watch, and realize I'm running out of time to get to class.

"I'll catch you later, Orihime, okay? I gotta run!" I rush off to my next class, determined to forget all about that awkward moment.

-Grimmjow-

I would tell more about the rest of my day, but honestly it was so boring that I don't want to make myself fall asleep again. My classes flew by quickly, and I headed to the library to get some assignments done. Just because I act like I don't care doesn't mean I actually do. I want to get accepted to a school far, far away from this hellhole. Preferably, it would be near the beach or in the mountains. I just want to start over in a place that has no idea of who I am, or what I've been through. A place where I can walk down the street and not meet judgmental stares, to dodge rumors that my dad was going on yet another downward spiral. Saying hello to the librarians, I log onto the computer and set to work.

"Here, Grimmjow. Have a snack." Nel slides a graham cracker snack next to me. Nel has been working as a librarian for about five years, and she liked me slightly more than the other librarians. I must remind her of a brother that she has or something of the sort. Anyway, she always give me snacks and is oddly like a sister to me. Anyway, I thank her and turn to my assignment. Unfortunately for me, it was math and I really didn't understand it. In a moment of brilliance, I decide to ask Ichigo for help. I thought I saw him walk in. I turn around and look for that familiar crop of traffic cone hair.

-Ichigo-

I always ended up at the library. I guess I could find sanctuary among the books in the library. Each one beckoned me to read them. I longed to see the printed words, the mystery of each novel. Was the Wicked Witch really wicked? Why was the Phantom so feared? I loved reading, believe me I do. It took me away from the world, even if for just an hour. I could forget about the inner battle I was having, or even about Grimmjow if possible. Ever since the incident in the graveyard, I haven't been able to see him in the same way. Our friendship has the potential to be a rather beautiful one, but that's what a flying insect thinks, right before it dies in one of those bug lights. I'm the bug, and Grimmjow may just be the death of me…

-Grimmjow-

Huh. Maybe he went home after all. Slightly disappointed, I turn to the life-saving Google. Still, that would've given me a reason after all. I gave my sexuality a lot of thought the night before. Hell, I even had a dream about it. In the dream, I was at the park in town, sitting under a cherry blossom tree. Even now, I can vividly recall how each light pink petals gracefully danced in the air, until it came to rest on the ground. Birds sang in nearby trees, and the sky was a beautiful, cloud free blue. I recall him walking up the hill, a warm smile on his face. God…he was so beautiful. Shaking myself awake from my day dream, I focus on the task at hand. I felt a tap on my shoulder.

-Ichigo-

I should've known that he was in the library. He was practically buddy buddy with the librarians.

"Hey." I smile. "What's up?"

-Grimmjow-

There. That was the exact same smile in my dream. My heart was racing a mile a minute. I quickly clear my throat, remembering to use my big boy words.

"Just doing this god awful homework. I hate to ask this but…could you help me?" I make sure to keep my tone even.

-Ichigo-

Whew. I don't think I could've handled someone attempting to ask me to the homecoming dance.

"Yeah sure. I have to go home soon, so maybe at my house? You can use my computer if you need to."

-Grimmjow-

SCORE.

-Ichigo-

"Sure." He grins and logs out of the computer, throwing his stuff in his backpack. "I really appreciate it."

"Hey, no problem." I smile and shrug. Guess I'm keeping my promise to him after all. I was considering not acting on it until I figured out what was wrong with me, but this works. He's there for tutoring purposes, nothing more.

-Grimmjow-

We took the bus to his house. Dad had the car today, he was out job hunting. He's been doing well lately, it's still shocking to see that he's actually out doing something. Anyway, I take advantage of his absence to go to Ichigo's house. That big poster of his mother was still there. I was greeted with:

"Hey Cotton Candy hair." Mini Ichigo smirks and waves. The other girl, not Ichigo, smacks her arm.

"Be nice to Ichigo's friend! Ichigo, is he staying for dinner?"

My stomach growls at the mention of the word food.

"I'll take that as a yes." She smiles and goes to the kitchen, to probably assess the amount of food they had.

"You really don't have to do that…" I felt instantly bad. They already have four people to feed, and it's like I come over and eat them out of house and home.

"I insist." Ichigo grins. "Come on, we'll work upstairs like last time."

"Works for me." I shrug, a small smile creeping on my face.

-Ichigo-

I learned how to do this stuff? It all looks Greek to me right now, but I'm not one to back away from a challenge.

"Did I finally stump the genius?" He grins cockily. Blue haired bastard.

"Hell no." I mumble, chewing on my pencil. Finally, it comes to me. I write down the problem and work it out perfectly. I can feel him watching me, egging me on. I hand him the completed problem.

"So much for stumping me." I grin.

"Oh shut up." He mumbles, copying down the problem and labeling what's what.

"You know, you don't give yourself enough credit." I lay on my bed, sighing softly in relief.

"Hmm?" He responds, doing some of his work.

"Nothing." I blush, feeling a hot flush come across my cheeks. Goddamn it, why do I have to feel huge undertones of secondhand embarrassment? I was just like those girls in the romantic movies (Yes, I watch those OCCASIONALLY).

-Grimmjow-

Heh. He looked like that socially awkward adorable characters in movies and TV. It's adorable, if you ask me. Anyway, that was the sweetest thing that anyone's ever told me. I can feel the awkward tension in the air. Something wasn't quite alright with Ichigo, and for some reason it was bugging the shit out of me.

"Hey, Ichigo?"

"What?" He answers, sounding a bit muffled.

"Something on your mind?" I try to be as casual as I could possibly muster. Call me crazy, but I think that the awkward is _romantic_ awkward tension. Well, this was going to be one interesting study session, if you catch my drift.

"N-no." He answers quickly, the blush on his face increasing. He was so cute when he was so embarrassed like that. I was pretty sure of myself, and I was kind of acting on it, you know?

"If you insist." I say, nonchalantly shrugging my shoulders.

-Ichigo-

He. Was. Flirting. With. Me. How do I respond to this? I've only had one person flirt with me in my entire life, and that kind of ruined our friendship. I couldn't look at Rukia anymore, and my dreams of having a relationship with her were promptly thrown out the window. Well, might as well get some practice, right?

"I do insist." I sigh, then get the idea to play some of my CDs. "What's your music taste like?"

"Metal mainly, but I'll listen to just about anything. Except for country." He shudders a little. I wrinkle my nose, being a casual fan of country.

"Alright. Avenged Sevenfold it is." I smile and walk over to my stereo. I select the album _Avenged Sevenfold_ , and the music began. I quickly skip to "Afterlife", easily my favorite song on the album.

-Grimmjow-

He has amazing taste in music, an adorable smile, a dorky personality, and the brains to match. Yep, I'm pretty sure that I'm romantically attracted to this man. I quietly begin to sing along. Surprisingly enough, he sings along with me. Though his voice was slightly off key, it wasn't too bad. Anyway, I found it pleasing to listen to. When there was a music break, I decide to give him a bad time.

"So much for studying, huh?" I tease.

"…Shut up." He grumbles. "Besides, you got the hang of it."

"Why don't we just hang out?" I make sure to use my crooked grin on him.

"You know what, sure. What do you feel like doing?" He asks.

"Movie?" I shrug. "Or just doing something like this will do as well."

-Ichigo-

For a few hours, we just hang out in my room. Besides losing our mothers at a very critical age, we had the same tastes in music, clothes, and longed for the same thing: to get the hell out of this small town. He wanted to be a writer or something of the sort. Quite honestly, I could see him doing that. Grimmjow was well known to express his opinion, with the mighty pen, a blank paper, and a swirl of emotions concentrated in one subject after the other. I wanted to pursue a career in either science or medicine, or somehow combine the two. I loved science, it's fascinated me ever since Mom died. I watched shows that dealt with forensic science, and long to do something like that. However, saving lives were also equally appealing. I saw how people treated my father, and I wanted that same thing. In the middle of our conversation, my dad pops his head in.

"Hey Ichigo, and Grimmjow right?"

Grimmjow nods his head yes.

"Pizza?" My father asks. I can feel my mouth water at the thought. Pizza was a rare treat. I look over at Grimmjow, and he pretty much has the same look on his face.

"Please." We simultaneously reply. My father simply chuckles and leaves, to go order the pizza. When the pizza arrived, we devoured the whole thing in less than ten seconds.

-Grimmjow-

I would say more about the evening, but honestly there wasn't anything really important to say. It was just like in the movies, where the two roommates have some dude time, playing video games and stuffing their faces full of food. I was sad when I looked at the clock and realized that I'm due home any moment now.

"Hey Ichigo, I have to go home." I shrug, keeping my face emotion-free.

"Alright. Need a ride?" He looks over at me, his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He was really cute that way.

"I'll be alright. It's not that far of a walk." I get off his bed and stretch, already heading out the door. I can hear him follow me.

"I'll walk you to the door at least." He responds, adjusting his shirt sleeves.

"Thanks." I smile a little, secretly admiring the way his arms looked when his shirts were rolled up. A few minutes later, I was walking home, my heart and stomach happy for once. I was ready to face the grim reality of school. Well, at least it would have a small glimmer of light, even if he only glances at me.

-Ichigo-

Government was particularly boring today. While in the midst of doing our book work, the door opened. Curious, I look up to see a tall, brown haired man walk in. He had a Superman inspired hairstyle and cold yet caring brown eyes. He wore his backpack with one strap on, and wore an ordinary looking pair of jeans and a white shirt. He looked harmless, but I still didn't like the feel of this guy. It was almost like he was too…good to be true. Like there was a monster hiding in him. The teacher clears her throat to get our attention.

"Class, we have a new student joining us today. Now please, be nice to him and make him feel welcome." She smiles, her tone warm yet firm. "Why don't you introduce yourself, Mr…?"

"Sosuke. Aizen Sosuke." He smiles, his cold eyes sweeping across the whole room, before landing on one person: Grimmjow.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone, I have returned from my hiatus! I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR SO LONG AHHHHH DX. College took over my free time essentially. So thank you so much for being EXTREMELY patient. Please enjoy, and feel free to leave a review 3**

-Grimmjow-

I hear someone sit down in the desk next to me, but I don't look up. Honestly, I was too busy trying to concentrate on this tedious (and often pointless) book work.

"Hello." A voice purrs to me. It was actually pretty pleasing to hear, actually. Curious as to who spoke to me, I look up to see this Andrew Garfield (that was the only person I could think of) and Clark Kent hybrid looking over at me. My heart both jumps and sinks. Seriously, is everyone at school that possess the XY chromosome this ridiculously attractive? To add to his beauty, he had the most unusual brown eyes I've ever seen. Though they were run of the mill brown, they were warmer than any I've come across. His glasses were resting on the bridge of his nose, and he was wearing a black shirt and jeans with sandals. That shirt suited him, let me tell you.

"Hi." I respond, then turn back to my work. If I looked at him for anymore amount of time, I think my head would've exploded.

"You're Grimmjow, right?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" I didn't look over at him, pretending to write down some notes.

"Nothing really. It seems appropriate that I know the guy sitting next to me, you know?" He says this nonchalantly, feigning an air of innocence. He was actually…flirting with me. My heart began to flutter. What the hell was this warm feeling inside my chest? It felt…good. I've never felt this way before, not even Ichigo could make me feel like this.

-Ichigo-

Something didn't sit right with that Aizen kid. Sure, he looked harmless, but there was something that didn't strike the right cord with me. It was something in his eyes. Sure, they looked warm. Sure, they were a pretty shade of brown, but he couldn't fool me. After he made his way to his seat, I tried to focus on my work. Note that the key word was _tried_ , and I failed miserably. I could hear Grimmjow and the new kid talking to each other, and I felt my blood boil. How dare that new kid take what was mine-

HOLD UP DID I JUST SAY MINE?! We aren't even together! What the hell was wrong with me?! I shake my head, to make that thought disappear. I look down at my paper and see drawings of me with Grimmjow, and me with Orihime. I quickly erase them and try to get back to learning about the different political parties. I knew that I had to push the thought back to my head, my mind had to focus on something, _anything_.

-Grimmjow-

The bell rang soon after, and I find myself slowly putting my things away. Call me stupid, but it was so that I could talk to Aizen more.

"It was nice talking to you, Grimmjow." He smiles, showing off perhaps a faint trace of dimples.

"Same here." I shrug and toss my backpack over my shoulder.

"Oh hey. Do you know where the Journalism classroom is?"

"It's on North Campus, past the science buildings. You'll see it soon enough." I quickly walk out the door before he could get a word in edgewise. As the day went on, I thought maybe that I jumped to a conclusion about this guy before I even got to know him. We just had a normal conversation, nothing out of the ordinary. Despite this, something in my heart was telling me that there was something wrong. I decided that without sufficient evidence, I would ignore the feeling for now. Maybe I could talk to Ichigo or Nel about it (though Nel might be one for better advice).

-Ichigo-

Thank God that the school day was over. In addition to the incident in Gov., there was a surprise quiz in APES and Pre-Cal. I'm pretty sure that I failed both, and that made me feel inadequate. Then I missed lunch, so I was feeling both hungry and angry. All I needed was one more thing to go wrong and I'm sure that I would explode. At least it was the one bad day, the other six days couldn't be as bad, right? Maybe I can go hang out with some of my friends this weekend. That never fails to cheer me up. Realistically, I will probably be dragged out of my house, forced to socialize, and won't be reunited with my beloved Netflix until later that night. Oh well, at least it would do me some good, instead of sitting around and getting jealous of a guy I barely knew.

When the school bell rang, I was probably the first one out the door. I felt a strange sense of claustrophobia. Maybe that wasn't the right word, but I guess it'll work. Everywhere I looked, I felt trapped by the sheer amount of couples surrounding me. Some I knew were platonic, others were romantic. I didn't care, I felt sick when I saw the girls laugh while the guys put their arms around them. If there were couples just about making out, my stomach turned to knots. I NEEDED to get out of there and go anywhere, anywhere was more wonderful than here. Just as I was about to get to freedom…

"Ichigo?"

Great. Just great. The third and final strike, the game was over. This was one of two people that I really didn't want to see right now. Forcing a smile and a civil attitude, I turn around to face Orihime.

"Oh hey Hime." I struggled to keep my tone neutral. How the hell did other people manage to keep their facial expressions still, almost like a mask?

"Are you alright?" Her tone is full of concern for me. I felt my face flush slightly, but I quickly brought that down.

"I'm fine, Hime. I just had a bad day." I shrug, praying to God she'll buy the obvious lie. Orihime, bless her heart, was sometimes so dense you could tell her the nastiest thing that you could think of and she wouldn't pick up on it. Still, I wonder what emotions are given away on my face. At this moment, I wish that I was one of those people who kept their emotions hidden away. Their face was almost like a mask. Nothing was given away, and the other person left, not even aware of the storm they created for their person. The disguise fooled the villain and the hero came out victorious.

"Oh I'm so sorry." She clears her throat awkwardly. "So, I was hoping to ask you something…"

Please kill me.

"Sure." I smile a little. It didn't cost me to be nice.

"Well…" She blushes madly. "Willyougotothedancewithme?"

I blink. OH. Homecoming! It was in a few weeks, I completely forgot about it. She did try to ask me, but I think Grimmjow swooped in at the last second.

"Well…Can I get back to you on it? I think my Dad had something planned, I want to make sure." Cue the bullshit meter flying off the charts, but it seemed like a good excuse.

She looked disappointed for a moment, but that beautiful smile returned. "Oh sure! Let me know when you figure it out, okay?" She laughs a little, messing with her hair. Goddamn it, she was so cute. She really wasn't helping my case.

"Will do, Hime. See you tomorrow." I smile and wave a little, then walk away from her. Before I knew it, I was home and laying on my bed. I turn so I'm face down in my pillow. It was then that I let out a scream. God help me.

-Grimmjow-

What a fucking weird day. First that Aizen kid flirted with me and then it seemed like Ichigo was avoiding me for some reason. But still, what the fuck was Ichigo's problem? Maybe something happened between him and what's her name? Big Boobs? Oh whatever, that doesn't matter right now. When I saw the two of them talking, he didn't look all that pleased. Not that it was my business or anything, but it's so easy to tell when he or anyone for that matter is really irritated. Anyway, school was pretty weird, and I couldn't wait to get home. Dad and I were starting a new tradition: family movie night. Once a week, Dad and I will pick one of our movies and have some "guy time." When Mom was alive, she would let me pick out a cartoon and we'd all watch it together. I guess things were finally looking up for me. When I walked into the house, there was no sign of him anywhere. My heart just sank. I knew it was too good to be true. Sighing, I decided to just lay down and go to sleep. Shouldn't have kept my hopes up…

-Ichigo-

I stare at my phone, the cursor just blinking on and off, teasing me. Why was I so scared? It was just a simple question. All I had to do was ask one single question: does Natsumi know anyone who has Grimmjow's cell phone number? (Ha! Gotcha there, didn't I?). I sigh and lock my phone, turning back onto my back and looking at the ceiling. Today was so weird, I must've traveled to the twilight zone (don't judge, that show's really interesting). I stroke the screen of my phone. He loves me, he loves me not, I sarcastically thought to myself. Look at me, what a pathetic sight. Here I was getting worked over a guy that I was barely getting to know and feeling angry against some brunette "oh I'm so innocent" guy. Feeling frustrated with myself, I decide to just go for it.

"Hey Natsu :). Do you have Grimmjow's number by any chance?" Send.

Ten seconds later, a response: "Hey Strawberry! I'm sorry, I don't. Why?" She then sends me a wiggling eyebrow gif. Ha. Ha. Ha.

"I think his jacket was left behind when he was over at my place. I wanted to be sure is all." That sounded like a half ass excuse, but it was the only thing I had at the moment.

"Did this 'jacket' have a rubber texture ;D?"

Cheeky little shit. "Ha. Ha. Ha. You're funny. No."

"Calm down, Strawberry. Just ask him tomorrow."

"Thanks, Natsu."

Well, that went better than expected. See, I could be a big boy after all. There went my alibi for having him over, apologizing to him, the works. I just toss my phone to the ground and grab one of my manga volumes. Maybe reading would take my mind off of things. Also, I could finally finish this one. Lately, school has kept me busy and as a result I have little free time. Ah, here we go. The boy meets the…you've got to be kidding me. I guess the universe is out for me after all. I groan and put the manga volume away carefully (it goes to show that I value manga over my phone, doesn't it?). I just needed to get out of the house, but Dad won't let me during the school week. So, I'll have to wait for the weekend.

"Hey, Natsumi?" I really needed her advice.

"Ichi, what's wrong?" She always asks that. Then again…I don't really call her by her full first name. Supposedly, she hates being called by her full name so she always responds to her nickname. I'm one of the lucky few who get to call her Natsumi. Anyway, I know I'm off track and I just ramble on and on and on…I'm doing it now aren't I?

"I need to get out of the house this weekend. Do you want to go to the mall with me this weekend?"

"Sure! Ulqui is out for a water polo tournament." Goddamn it, maybe this wasn't a good idea. I know he'll come up in the conversation somehow. I STILL don't think he likes me.

"Awesome." I lock my phone and just look at my ceiling once again. Then, my eyes shut and it was off to the wonderful world of sleep.

-Grimmjow-

I have to say, guy's night was wonderful. We managed to actually sit down and not have a screaming match against each other over some stupid thing. I know I sound like some gushy teenage girl, but give me a break, will ya? I haven't had much to smile about for the past several years.

There really isn't much to report about the past few days, it was just the same old thing. So, allow me to get to the point. Aizen and I hung out during school, we'd eat lunch together and that shit. He wasn't that bad of a guy, but know that I was still cautious around him. I've had one too many "friends" come and go, I definitely didn't want to relive the pain that it brought. Anyway, although we had little to no common interests, he was still willing to listen to my kind of music, and even showed me some of his favorite albums of his bands. Since our friendship was beginning to blossom, we agreed to go to the mall that weekend. We would both hang out with each other and this would give me the opportunity to show him around. I also noticed that Ichigo was barely speaking to me now. Though I had a hunch as to the reason, I didn't want to make an assumption based solely on emotion. What if he called me crazy? Anyway, I was eager to get out of the house. Dad has been suffering from a case of severe writer's block. Every night, without fail, I would hear the keys on the keyboard stop, and the pace begin. Sometime, he would mutter ideas to himself. The story he wanted to write was a love story, based on he and my mother. Then again, it's hard to write a story with such a short ending.

-Ichigo-

This week couldn't have gone by any more slowly. Seriously, this had to be an extremely crappy week. Anyway, I've never been any happier for it to be the weekend. Despite the meeting that I know will quickly turn crappy, there was a sale in my favorite music store. Maybe I can finally get that Avenged Sevenfold album. I would KILL to go to one of their concerts. Alright, alright, let me focus here. First, I made a pit stop at the music store and got my hands on my beloved album. Natsu text me not even a minute later, saying that she was in the food court and waiting for me. Well, that was fast. But at least I got what I wanted done first. Upon arriving at the food court, I see her sitting alone at the table, some hot food in front of her. I walk over to her table and hang my bag on the side of the chair, then sit down.

"Excellent choice for a pit stop. Did they have that Seether album that I've been looking for?" She takes a bite of food, waiting for my answer.

"I didn't really look." I chuckle sheepishly. She swallows the bite of food.

"Ah. Damn."

A few tense moments pass, and finally she speaks again.

"I propose that instead of sitting in the silence, why don't you tell me what happened?"

She was always to the point. I guess that's why it makes her advice truly genuine. She didn't sugarcoat the truth, she just told you what her thoughts were on the situation. Sighing, I tell her the whole story. Once it was over, she didn't say a word for a few minutes, mulling over the situation. Finally, she speaks.

"Alright. Let me get this straight. You think you have a crush on two people?" Natsumi twirls the straw in her drink around, a common habit of hers when she's thinking. Grimmjow did the same thing sometimes, but either it's with his hair or pencil. Wait, why am I thinking about him? This was NOT the whole purpose of this thing! Ugh, not even five minutes in and I'm already screwing up. Shit, what next?

"Yes." I sigh. "It also doesn't help that I actually got jealous of someone that I don't even know."

"Can you tell me who these people are?" She arches an eyebrow at me. I just blush in reply. It isn't long before she figures out the two objects of my affection were. "No way."

"Will you please keep your voice down?" I whisper yell at her. She just laughs.

"Alright, Strawberry. Calm down." She takes a drink. "So which one of them do you like the most?"

"That's the problem. Well…I'm also part of the problem."

She gets it in a moment. "Ah. I see. You still aren't sure of yourself."

"Why the hell are you so nonchalant about the whole thing?!"

"Everyone goes through this, Hun. It's just a normal part of growing up." She takes a sip of her drink, calm as can be. Sure, everyone goes through this, but I hate the unknown. I'm the kind of person who believes that everything leads to something, every question or theory has a definite answer. You'll find out that I'm the person who doesn't believe in the supernatural (though I find them cool in movies), fate, or destiny. Nothing had ever made me question what will happen next in my journey, what trials I'll face. The whole Grimmjow/Orihime thing was the first obstacle that I've come across. Not even the death of my mother has made me feel so angry, so confused…if this was part of growing up, why did it feel so wrong? Why is this so intense, like I was walking on a delicate wire? I just look at her, the one person I could confide in. The one person whose future was cemented in stone, while mine was barely beginning to be carved.

"Then why do I feel pressured to make a choice?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Once again, I'm so sorry about my delay in posting. I had a severe case of writer's block and my finals took a lot of my free time. My goal for this year is to publish at least every two weeks! So please, read and enjoy yourselves! Please leave a review if you would like (it would help me improve greatly!) Thank you :).**

-Grimmjow-

"Holy shit, dude. I think we went to every store." I tease, not really meaning it. I didn't care, I really like looking at the clothes. Although the price of those snazzy shirts are nothing to sneeze at. Anyway, it seemed like he was having a good time. So…does this count as a date?

Nope. This is just a normal guy thing. Two dudes, hanging out, no strings attached. On the bright side, I got a new Seether album and they FINALLY had a Guns N' Roses album. Though I would never admit it, I really like their music. Dad used to play it a lot, so I accepted it over time. Maybe I could play it when I get home, that should cheer him up. Lately, my old man has been suffering from a case of writer's block. The big ass bruise on the back of my right shoulder blade could attest to that.

"I suppose we did." He returns my playful jab at him with one of his own. "I'm getting hungry; shall we head to the food court?"

My stomach growled in response, essentially speaking for me. "Yeah, yeah, sure." Maybe I can finally get Chinese food, I can't even begin to tell you how much I've been craving it. We set off for food, and while there I saw a familiar looking orange haired boy. You've got to be kidding me!

Just take it easy, Grimmjow. This was just a coincidence, even nerds like going to the mall. Looks like he's here on a date. Wow, that brunette he's with was seriously attractive…yet she looked so familiar. How did I know her? That doesn't matter now, I just had to go and get my beloved food. As if Lady Fate was like "fuck you in particular today," I have to walk past his table.

"Are you alright, Grimmjow? You look pale." Aizen asks, with a hint of concern in his voice. I swear, it looked like he was going to hold my hand or something. What in the actual fuck?

"Yeah man, I just need some food. I didn't eat this breakfast this morning." I elect to ignore looking at him. Something didn't seem right. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Whatever, it doesn't matter now.

I made a point to keep my hand by my side, in case he was indeed trying to pull a fast one on me. Yeah, I never dated before, but I wasn't stupid. While we're on the subject, I never had much of a romantic life. Shocking, right? Apparently I'm too intimidating or some crap like that. The girls at school are total bimbos anyway. Sure a few are beautiful, but they severely lacked in the brains department. I want someone with brains…and Ichigo has got a whole lot of that. Shit, there I go again! Focus, focus! Orange chicken is just ahead, right past Ichigo!

Channeling my inner power, I begin my quest to obtain the orange chicken.

-Ichigo -

"You're not making any sense, Ichigo. No one is pressuring you." She looks over at me, with what I describe as her "you're a fucking idiot" face. I look down, playing with the handles of the plastic shopping bag. Everything I felt just came out all at once. I looked her straight in the eye.

"Yes, there's always someone. My father, constantly joking about when I'm finally going to bring a girl home. Our classmates, whispering behind my back about how pathetic that no girl has ever made a move on me. I see it in the eyes of the faculty whenever I sit by myself, or when I sit with you and Ulquiorra. How sad, they cry. That poor boy, forced to be a third wheel to this lunch date. Hell, even society is against me. All of the songs and novels talk about how great it is to find love, to settle down, to find the perfect one for you. Love them for eternity, or if they die young, never love again. I am so sick and tired of all this romantic shit being thrown in my face, Natsumi." I take a deep breath. Before she can even begin to put her two cents in, I start again.

"And why am I only restricted to being attracted to girls? What if I am attracted to guys? Does that mean I'm this flawed link in the chain that society created?" I look down, not quite sure of how to feel. "I'm…I'm…"

"You're afraid. You're scared to accept who you are. Or do you know who you are?" Her voice is soft, warm even. Just like a mother's voice. It's at moments like these that I wish that my mother didn't die. I would talk to my dad, but he was as helpful as a bread crumb. Not to mention, that would lead to his usual speech about he and Mom, how they fell in love, all of that jazz. I got the impression that if I did like boys, my family would reject me. Well, Yuzu wouldn't. With Karin…her views changed at the drop of a hat. Sexuality wasn't exactly talked about in my house, since the girls were still too young and Dad was always at the clinic. Who was I supposed to talk to, the wall?

"No shit I'm afraid. I can't just walk up to him and ask, 'Grimmjow, would you like to go out with me sometime?' I can't…Natsumi what is it?"

Natsumi doesn't respond to my question, instead looking towards her right. Slowly turning my head, I'm greeted to a shocked Grimmjow. When the hell did he get there?!

-Grimmjow-

"Ichigo…" I begin to say, but I forget what word I was going to say next. Aizen would tell you differently, but I see a flash of anger come across his face. For some odd reason, this filled me with dread. Aizen and I weren't even dating, we were just good friends. But I always had this sneaking suspicion, you know? The way he looked at me when he thought that I wasn't looking, how he looked me straight in the eye when he talked to me, not to mention the trying to hold my hand move. Oh crap, am I really that dense?! I am brought back down to Earth by the sound of Ichigo talking.

"Grimmjow…it's not what you think!" Ichigo begins to argue before Aizen cuts him off.

"It doesn't matter now. Grimmjow, let's get you some food before you pass out." He struggles to keep his usual mask on, the one where he acted like nothing could affect him at all. Oddly enough, the earlier feeling of dread soon turned to concern with a hint of fear. Something in Aizen's eyes suggested that he was out for trouble, possibly blood as well. I frantically began to think of an excuse to leave, goddamn it why couldn't I think of anything?! The brunette, Natsumi I think her name was, grabbed Ichigo's hand.

"Let's go, Ichi." Something in her tone suggested that she feared the same thing that I did. Ichigo, oblivious of the tension that was slowly accumulating, pulled his hand away from hers.

"It'll be okay, Natsumi. Let me explain myself." He begins to argue. Surprising me, Aizen calmly agrees with Ichigo's wish.

"You're right. I think we're all overreacting. Why don't we all start over?" He smoothly speaks, the charm having returned to his voice. He acted like nothing happened. I see Natsumi relax slightly, but it's obvious to everyone with two eyes that her guard wasn't lowered. She sits down back, but is much closer to Ichigo than she was before.

-Ichigo-

I tell them a watered down story of what happened. Grimmjow didn't seem all there, you know? Halfway through my bullshit story, he finally came to. Something about Aizen…kind of creeped me out now that I'm thinking about it. He never once broke his gaze upon me. Sure, people stare when they're listening to someone talk, but not with that sort of intensity. Putting this odd feeling aside, I finish my story. Natsumi had this look that screamed "hurry the fuck up, we need to go." For once, I followed my instincts and decided to leave. To kick off my plan, I look down at my phone.

"Hey Natsu, I think it's time we head back home. Don't we have a movie to watch?" I tried to sound as innocent as possible. Thankfully, she catches on.

"$5 you'll get scared first." She grins and gets up, instantly figuring out my plan. Grimmjow speaks up finally.

"Sorry to keep you guys. I'll see you guys at school, alright?" He stands, Aizen standing up as well. Natsumi and I say our goodbyes, and we quickly walk out to our cars. I don't think they noticed, but I didn't care. I couldn't shake this feeling, something terrible was going to happen. But what if I was being paranoid, I thought to myself. As I drove home, I dismissed the thought that Aizen developed a personal vendetta against me. After all, what did I do to him?

-Grimmjow-

"Shall we get some food? I'm starving." I suggest, successfully changing the subject.

"As am I. I haven't eaten today." Aizen shrugs, heading towards the sub shop. I head towards my Chinese food place, and all was good. We eat, and talk about whatever comes to mind. Anyway, after lunch, I drive Aizen home and go to mine. When I walk in the door, I hear the sounds of a keyboard, and know that Dad was hard at work again. Huh, maybe everything will be okay after all. Well, anyway, I head to my room and put the CD in my stereo, making sure that the volume was low. Hey, I could be nice every once in a while.

-Ichigo-

To say that today was terrible…well that's not entirely correct. It was nice to hang out with Natsumi outside of school. As an added bonus, not only did Ulquiorra's name not come up at all, but I finally got all of that off of my chest. I know I sound like some teenage girl writing in a diary, but cliché as that sounds, it does work sometimes. Anyhow, I still don't know what to do about the whole Grimmjow situation. I just barely dodged a bullet there, thank god that I was blessed with the ability to bullshit any story. But still, I had to give Orihime an answer. She was a sweet girl and all, and I knew that Natsu and Tatsuki would skin me alive if I lead her on. Maybe I should go with her. After all, Grimmjow has never gone to any dance, so I'd waste my breath asking him. Right? It could be fun, too. I needed a break from work, anyway. Orihime and I have hung out before, so we're fairly comfortable with each other. Huh, maybe I was overreacting. I'll just call Orihime and tell her that I'll be her date. After all, Grimmjow and I aren't together. Sure, we're friends…right?


	6. Chapter 6

-Ichigo-

"Really? You'll go with me?" Orihime beams. I did have to admit, she looked really cute when she got excited like that. No wonder she was considered to be one of the most beautiful girls in school.

"Sure. Hey, I have to go. I'll meet you at lunch?"

"Yep! I'll be in my usual spot." She smiles and walks towards her next class. I get going too, I was almost late to my class this morning. I hadn't seen Grimmjow, he must be sick or something. There I go again! I need to stop worrying about him! I rush to class, barely on time. Lunch finally rolls around, and I meet up with Orihime to discuss the dance. My initial feelings of dread were quickly washed away with feelings of joy. After all, dances are always fun. Midway through our conversation, I hear a familiar voice ask me:

"Hey Ichigo. Can I talk to you really quick?"

-Grimmjow-

Well, the rest of my weekend was spent listening to music and writing songs. Yes, I do write my own music. It's therapeutic, much like a girl writing in a diary. Anyway, here I am at school again. Strangely, I haven't seen Aizen, maybe he decided to take a personal day. Boy, I wish I could, but my old man would kill me. Not to mention, I would be breaking my promise to Mom, and I hate breaking promises. It's my opinion that if you go back on your word/promise, then you're not a man. There I go, I'm on a rant again. So, let's get this show on the road. Class was boring, as expected. Ichigo couldn't look me in the eye, and I can't blame him. But still, I don't want for our friendship to dissolve. So, my plan is to confront him at lunch, and maybe get a confession from him.

After seemingly an eternity, lunch comes around. Time to execute my plan. After getting some crappy sub and decent chips, I go into the cafeteria and search for the familiar mop of traffic cone hair. There he is, with Big Boobs. Keeping my temper at a low, I approach the two of them.

"Hey Ichigo." I smile, to show that I'm not to be feared. "Can I talk to you really quick?"

-Ichigo-

SHIT.

"Sure, Grimmjow." I smile a little, then turn to Orihime. "I'll be right back."

"Sure." She smiles, turning back to her lunch (which I must admit, looked pretty…interesting). I follow Grimmjow to another table, where we sit in silence for a few moments.

"Grimmjow…about the other day…" I begin, when Grimmjow shakes his head.

"I'm sorry about how I reacted…I guess I went too far, huh?" He asks, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No no, not all. I'd be shocked too." I chuckle a little.

"So uh…are we…good?" He asks. Well, that's a relief. I thought he was going to confess to me or something.

"Sure, man. Sure." I smile, holding my hands up in an "it's all good" gesture. He smiles from relief.

"Oh good. Well, I'll see you later." He stands, taking his leave. Calming my pounding heart, I go back to Orihime. For the rest of lunch, we plan our Homecoming.

-Grimmjow-

"Hey Aizen. It's me. I just wanted to check up on you, man. Call me back." I hang up the phone. This was the second time I called him. I know, I know, I look desperate but I couldn't shake this sinking feeling. Looking back upon the events of the past weekend, my suspicion that Aizen not only had romantic feelings for me and that he hated Ichigo only grew stronger. Being the kind of person that I am, I just have to get to the bottom of things. And I wanted to do this kind of thing on my own, before I go and seek my father's advice. Our relationship has been improving, but I still don't trust him enough if that makes any sense. I go back to my room and plop on my bed, bored out of my mind. I had homework, but I felt no motivation to do it. My mind was occupied with more pressing issues. What was Aizen's deal? Should I continue my friendship with him?

-Ichigo-

"Dad? Can I talk to you?" I enter his office cautiously, in case he was hiding, ready to attack me. He has this brilliant theory that if he attacks when I'm not "expecting it" or when "my guard is down," then that will awaken the "warrior within me" or some shit like that. Yes, we are working on improving our relationship, and it's slowly getting better. I'm getting off track again!

My instincts were on high alert, and I walk into his office. He sat at his desk, typing away on his computer. He jumps when he sees me.

"Ichigo!"

"Hi Dad. I did knock."

"Did you? Looks like you gave me a taste of my own medicine." He laughs. "What's up?"

"Can we…talk?"

Noting the worry in my voice, he of course agreed. He had me sit down in the chair in front of his , it was the only chair in the room besides the one behind his desk. I hate sitting in front of a desk, it just shows a difference in power. We weren't on equal grounds, I felt small because of this. I don't care if you think I'm an emotional teen, but this is my opinion and preference. Anyway, lets get back to the story.

"Dad, I like two people."

"Okay." He replies, graciously allowing me to continue speaking. I proceed to tell him about my feelings towards Orihime (he wasn't surprised at that) and Grimmjow (he was slightly surprised at that), and I didn't know what to do. When I finished, a few quiet moments pass before he offers this gem:

"What the hell are you doing then, Ichigo? Go get the boy!"

I blink, not quite anticipating that reaction. "Dad, I'm literally going to Homecoming to Orihime."

"And? It's quite obvious you like him more."

"You aren't…mad?"

"Why would I be? You're my son, I only care about your happiness. Sure, I may not understand the idea of same sex relationships, but it's your choice, not mine."

There aren't enough words in the English language to describe the relief I felt. But there was still one nagging question that popped into my mind: What the hell am I going to do about Aizen?

-Grimmjow-

To answer your question, I did do my homework finally, albeit reluctantly. I gave up on contacting Aizen. I reason with myself that I did nothing wrong, that his phone probably broke and he was sick on top of that. Anyway, I had more pressing issues at mind: Homecoming. I really wanted to go, but my courage was telling me otherwise. I would be an even bigger outcast, it whispered to me. Everyone would laugh at you it cooed throughout my mind. Luckily, I knew just the thing to make it shut up: I would blast my music (at a reasonable volume, of course) with the new speakers my father got me. Starting my new stereo system, I begin to do just that. It's then I finalize my decision to go anyway, Aizen or no Aizen. If he was upset, then too bad. He wouldn't dampen my spirits. _He won't get into my head and dictate my life._


	7. Chapter 7

-Grimmjow-

"Hey, Grimmjow?" Someone taps me on the shoulder as I get books from my locker. I turn and see that girl from the mall, Natsumi I think her name is. What the hell does she want? We barely know each other.

"Yeah?"

"Ichigo won't be in class today, do you mind if I give you his number? He had to leave unexpectedly, something about a migraine." She shrugs, looking oh so casual.

"Sure. Wait, why didn't he ask you for the work he'll miss?"

"I'm leaving soon, band thing." She shrugs again, keeping her face neutral. Oh whatever.

"Yeah, sure I guess." I remember my books and put them away in my bag. She reaches into her jeans pocket and pulls out a tiny slip of paper. I look at it, rather curious. Dumbass, I mentally chided myself. It's his phone number. I'll forever deny this, but when I saw those numbers, it was as if the entire universe opened its gates to me. Here is my chance! My God, I sound like some pathetic high school girl from an anime. You know the one, the "Notice me, Senpai!" character. I pray to God that I'm not acting like that right now. Remembering that she was standing in front of him, he remembered his words.

"Thanks. I'll shoot him a text later."

"Awesome." She smiles and walks away, meeting up with her poker face boyfriend. I swear, did that little bat know how to smile? I call him the bat because in elementary school, he was _that_ kid. Obsessed with every creepy crawly imaginable. Me, I was more of a big cat guy. Crap, there I go again! Rambling like the school gossip. Okay, class. Oh shit, I'm going to be late!

-Ichigo-

"You did what?!" Cue me flinching because of my headache. It was so bad I had to go home.

"Oh, calm down, you'll blow a vein at this rate." She calmly replies, sounding frantic and stressed out. She was going on some field trip with band, I think it was to the college to tour their music building or some crap like that. "I know you're stuck at home, I won't be in class, this is perfect. You'll thank me later."

"You just gave my number to him?! Are you insane?!"

"Nope. I'm smart. If you two kiss, come shake my hand."

"Natsu, wai- "

She hung up, because she absolutely had to leave. Goddamn it, she would pull some shit like this. I groan, my headache a lot worse. I toss my phone aside, and cover my face with a pillow. I must get her back somehow. I can't worry about her now right now, I just want to sleep.

-Grimmjow-

Class was so goddamn long. I was so grateful when lunch came around. The minute the bell rang, I ran to my usual table. Surprising me, Big Boobs waves me over to her table. Shrugging it off, I join her. Turns out, she's nice…albeit naïve. Maybe this day would turn out much better than I hoped for. Then I saw him. Great. Wait. Maybe it is great after all. I can finally talk to him.

"Oi! Aizen!" I call out to the Adonis, praying that he'll finally acknowledge me. Ever since the stupid thing at the mall happened, he's been avoiding me like the plague. I just wanted to tell him that our friendship was over. He wouldn't talk to me, but boy would he glare at whoever had the apparent nerve to talk to me, brush against me in the hallway, or worst yet, _sit with me at lunch._

He heard me and turned around, his face strangely calm.

"What's gotten into you, man? I called AND messaged you, then nothing." My tone became critical, my emotions pouring into my voice despite my best efforts.

"I had nothing to say." His tone, contradicting mine, was deadly calm.

"You could at least say you got my messages." Taking a deep breath, I calm myself down…slightly. "I don't have time for this bullshit. Until you man up and tell me what's bothering you, I don't want anything to do with you."

Silence. I walk back to the table, and we get to work planning Homecoming.

-Ichigo-

Maybe around three, I get a text from an unknown number. Remembering what Natsumi said, I figured it was Grimmjow. I grab my phone and look at it. Sure enough, it was him. I find a smile creeping on my face.

"Hey, it's Grimmjow. I hope you're doing okay." Is it strange that I can hear him saying that? My God, I sound pathetic.

"Hey man, thanks a lot. What did I miss in Gov?"

"Honestly, not much. You just have to watch this documentary. Boring as hell, just warning you."

"Oh boy. I'm looking forward to it, haha."

I'll spare you the boring details. Just know that over the course of two weeks, we talked virtually nonstop. There's more to him than meets the eye.

-Grimmjow-

Dad was excited that I decided to go to the dance. He didn't know anything about Aizen, but knew that I had a fall out with a friend. At any rate, this dance will do me some good. Texting Ichigo has brightened my spirits considerably. Anyway, the dance was here and I was excited! I knew exactly what I was going to wear: a black leather jacket, dark blue dress shirt, jeans, and black tennis shoes (hey, my boots got annoying, don't judge me). I was going to meet up with the others, since I couldn't go out to eat before. I had to get ready, and cook dinner for Dad. As much as I love the man, he cannot cook to save his life. So, that leaves me to do it.

-Ichigo-

Orihime and I planned finally solidified our plan for the dance. We both would wear black outfits that will match the theme of the dance, go out for dinner a couple of hours before, then meet up with Grimmjow and the others at school. Yes, Grimmjow has been hanging out with us a lot more. Natsumi welcomed him rather reluctantly, but that's in her nature. Anyway, Homecoming! This would be a fun night out, not only for me but for my sisters. I convinced my father to take them out for the night, so Yuzu could get a day off for once. He enthusiastically agreed, feeling guilty for not being home a lot. Anyway, getting to the point, after the longest two weeks of my life the dance was finally here! I've never been more excited for a dance in my life.

-Grimmjow-

I straightened my shirt and adjusted my black leather jacket, my go to fashion item. I pull my comb out of my pocket and style my hair for the hundredth time that night. I'll take this opportunity to summarize my relationship with my father. Except for the occasional fall off the bandwagon, my father and I had a positive relationship. We talked about almost everything, but I dare not bring up the subject of my mother. It still felt too soon, too fresh a scab to pick away at.

"Ready?" My father stands in the doorway, dressed in his pajamas, glasses pushed to the bridge of his nose. He looked the stereotypical writer character, right down to the messy hair. It was rather amusing. Anyway, let me get back to the story.

I nod in response to him, putting my comb back into my pocket. Nervousness coursed throughout my body, what if something was to go wrong. As if sensing my anxiety, my father puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes it comfortingly.

"It's just a dance. You have the car, if you feel scared, leave." He shrugs, walking out of the bathroom and towards the front door. He was right, I have nothing to fear. I was going to have a fucking amazing time, and maybe I'll get lucky. Hopefully, with Ichigo. All I must do is convince him that I'm better than Big Boobs. I give my father a hug, then go to the car and leave. This is going to be a night to remember.

-Ichigo-

After a brief and wonderful dinner, Orihime and I head to the dance. Some of our group was already there, they hung around outside waiting for us. Natsumi runs over to us, dressed in a beautiful green dress and black flats. Her long hair is down, unusual for her. She wears minimal makeup, as is her usual.

"It's about time, you two! Have you heard from Blue?" She hugs the two of us, Ulquiorra appearing behind her a few seconds. He offers a polite hug to Orihime, and a nod to me. He's not one for physical contact (unless it's with her, of course). Hey, at least he's a little warmer towards me. It's a start.

-Grimmjow-

Finding everybody else, we went into the gym. As expected, teachers were watching students like hawks, making sure nobody had sex in the middle of the dance floor. Seriously, what is wrong with people? Can't you wait until the after party OFF CAMPUS? Again, I'm off topic. Seeing Ichigo, my heart skipped a beat. Believe me when I say that Ichigo looks amazing in black. Clearing my throat, I get that thought out of my mind.

"Let's go to the dance floor!" Natsu excitedly proclaims, causing Bats to smile warmly at her. It was kind of cute, to tell you the truth.

"Alright, alright." He chuckles, his smooth voice holding nothing but love for her.

"Wait! We must get a picture! It's senior year, we need this for memories!" Orihime calls out, pulling out her cell phone. She runs and grabs a teacher, who happily takes a picture of all of us. Ichigo has his arm resting on my back in the picture, which causes electricity to course throughout my body. Thank God, he didn't notice.

-Ichigo-

So, the dance was going great! I was really enjoying myself. Orihime was being her social butterfly self, so I was lucky enough to see her. Especially when her best friend Tatsuki showed up in the middle of the dance, surprising me slightly. Well, those two are rarely apart. I didn't mind, I was having a lot of fun anyway. I saw Grimmjow looking nervous for some reason, so I turned to talk to him (more like yelling, you gotta love dance floors).

"Hey! What's up, you look nervous."

He shouts back. "Of course, I am! I'm not used to this kind of thing!"

"Just gotta go with the flow, dude! That's what I do!"

"How do I do that?!"

"Just pretend no one is here!" I laugh.

-Grimmjow-

Holy fuck, he's so adorable. I took his advice and just…let go. It was so much fun, I found myself having a blast. I look down at Ichigo, who's laughing and nodding at me encouragingly. I wanted to kiss him. It was the perfect opportunity, too. Everything slowed down, the music became little more than a hum. He looked over at me, and I swear there were _stars_ in his eyes. Could've been a trick of the light too, but I think it's the former. I felt this surge of courage.

"Hey Ichigo, I have something to tell you." My voice falls quiet, an indication of my fear. He looks over at me, confused.

"What's up?"

"Ichigo, I li-" I felt a sharp pain in my chest, then nothing.

"GRIMMJOW!

Everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

-Ichigo-

"Ichigo, I li- "He stopped, his eyes widening. I wasn't sure of what happened. I thought maybe he got hit by someone dancing behind us. Or he was realizing what he was doing. I look down at his chest, and I see a scarlet flower blooming across his shirt. No. No. NO!

"GRIMMJOW!" I shout as I catch him. "Speak to me!"

"Ichigo, what the hell?!" Natsumi shouted at me, but she looks down at Grimmjow and I've never seen the color drain so quickly from a human face. "Oh, my God, someone call 911!"

That was when the chaos ensued. Other couples were screaming and trying so desperately to get out of the gym. I saw Aizen quickly leave the gym. Where did he come from? I saw a smug, almost coy look on his face and I _knew._ That little bastard! And all over a misunderstanding?! I knew something was off about him, but I couldn't imagine the degree of depravity…

Ulquiorra runs over to me, taking off his jacket and using it to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. I just held Grimmjow, unsure of what to do. My first instinct was to go after Aizen, but good would it do? He had a _gun,_ I had _nothing._ Some of the chaperones ran over, and assisted Ulquiorra. The police and ambulance arrived not long after and I was physically dragged away from Grimmjow, so that the EMTs could do their jobs. I just stood there and held Orihime, who was crying her eyes out. He was loaded into the ambulance, and he was gone. Natsumi was in the arms of Ulquiorra, and the two were just…stone-faced. I blinked the hot tears that were threatening to spill. I couldn't cry. Not now.

We were held at the gym for seemingly an eternity, being questioned and fingerprinted, to eliminate us from the suspect pool. Our parents were called. Dad arrived, and he was more hysterical than some of the mothers. It took me half an hour to assure him that I was fine, I just needed to go see him. When he finally calmed down, he pulled me in for a hug. That was when I finally broke, sobbing in my father's arms, something I haven't done since my mother's death…

-Natsumi-

Ichigo was an inconsolable mess, to say the least. It was a wonder that his statement was taken at all, his sobbing made it nearly impossible to hear and understand what he was saying. We all just looked at each other stupidly, unsure of what to do. It was Ichigo who broke the silence.

"We should go see him." His tone suggested it was more of a command than a suggestion.

"That's a good idea." Orihime states, her eyes swollen and red from crying.

"I'll drive." Ulquiorra pipes in. "I can only take two more."

Ichigo, of course, gets priority. So, he volunteers to go with us, along with Orihime. Our other friends elected to meet us later at the hospital, as they had to take their dates home.

-Ichigo-

The ride over to the hospital was quiet, the anxiety hovering over our heads like a black cloud. Ulquiorra and Natsumi, who were sitting in the driver and passenger seats respectively, weren't talking to each other. Instead, his hand was over hers, occasionally giving it a comforting squeeze. I look down at my hand and gently set it on Orihime's trembling hand. I'm not one for physical forms of comfort, but she was not only my date, but my close friend. I could see that she was terrified for not only me, but for Grimmjow. She sees my hand on hers and she adjusts her hand, squeezing my hand back. After an agonizing ten minutes, we arrived at the hospital, and to one of the longest nights of our young lives.

-Natsumi-

The hospital was busy, as expected of a Saturday night. The waiting room was filled with drunks, young children who were crying into their mother's sides, wailing about how their boo boos were burning. I couldn't stand it. I tightly held Ulquiorra's hand, anxious to leave, but staying for Ichigo's sake. Ulquiorra softly spoke to me, helping me to remain calm. Grimmjow was rushed to surgery, and we were anxiously awaiting any news on his condition. We practically had to tie Ichigo into the chair to prevent him making any marks in the floor. Orihime was doing her best to keep him calm, bless her heart. Finally, I couldn't take it.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, will you PLEASE sit down and calm down? Your pacing will do absolutely nothing." I snap, which startles him. Well, it proved effective because he sat down and didn't move a muscle. Ulquiorra gave me a reassuring kiss on the cheek, then took my hand in his once more. I'll admit, his peace of mind made me stay calm. After two hours, Dr. Kurosaki walked into the room, his face betraying nothing.

Ichigo jumps to his feet. "Dad, how is he?"

Dr. Kurosaki clears his throat. "He's stable. For now."

The whole room became silent, you could hear our chests rise and fall with each breath. We all sigh with relief, and I was close to tears. I didn't know him that well, but no one deserves to die so young. I mean, if Grimmjow was liked by Ichigo, that's good enough for me. Ichigo was granted permission to go see him, but only for a few minutes

This wasn't the vibrant Grimmjow that I knew. This Grimmjow was pale, lifeless. I saw his chest rise and fall with each breath, but little else. His face, which is full of expression and life, is reduced to the face of a doll. Stoic, pale, and so delicate that one wrong move, it will shatter into a thousand pieces. I sit in the chair adjacent to his bed, unsure of what to say. His clothes were replaced with a hospital gown, which only made the knot in my stomach tighten. I had to constantly assure myself that he was stable, which is usually a good indicator that he'll live through this injury. Alas, there was a small voice in my brain telling me that this wouldn't last through the night, that this was all my fault. I shook my head, finally getting that voice to shut up. I look down at Grimmjow's hand, where his hospital bracelet hangs on his wrist. I gently hold his hand, uncaring of who sees.

"Grimmjow…I'm sorry…" I begin to say, unsure of what to say exactly. "I don't know why I'm saying this, I wasn't the one who…" I clear my throat, fighting the growing lump in my throat. "Anyway…I think I know what you were going to tell me…and I feel the same way towards you."

I gain the courage to look up at his handsome face, and I swear that his eyelids fluttered ever so slightly. I blinked, and his eyes were still, once again reminding me of a doll. I sigh softly and stand, needing to go. To go anywhere but in that room.

"Get some sleep, my sweet prince…" I murmur, remembering that line from a book I once read. My father puts his hand on my shoulder and we began to walk down the sterile, humming hallway.

Grimmjow lay in his bed, blissfully unaware of where he was. Groaning softly, so softly that no one heard it, his eyelids flutter, finally opening to reveal his beautifully intense cerulean eyes.


End file.
